Adrenal cyst is a benign neoplasm, which is a cavity with a membrane filled with anechoic contents. However, it does not have any effect on the production of hormones by these endocrine glands. An adrenal cyst develops without obvious symptoms, so it is determined more often during a routine medical examination using ultrasound.
Types of Adrenal Cystic Formations
Modern science has identified several types of cystic formations affecting the adrenal glands. All of them have been studied in detail and have their own methods of treatment:
- Epithelial cyst - neoplasm consists mainly of epithelial cells with the inclusion of segmental cells.
- Endothelial cyst - formed in places where the diameter of a vein or artery increases.
- A parasitic tumor is the result of damage to the body by echinococcus that has entered the human body.
- PseudotumorA blood clot resulting from a physical injury is called. This neoplasm is not a tumor and cannot be related to a cyst.
The code for an adrenal cyst according to ICD 10 (International Classification of Diseases) has two designations:
- С74 – malignant tumor.
- D35.0 is a benign tumor.
Since the adrenal gland is part of the human endocrine system and secretes a number of hormones that control various functions of the body, any formation on its surface can affect the correct functioning of any system - the nervous, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and so on.
Causes of adrenal cysts
Despite the fact that this type of neoplasm has been studied for more than a year, no clear cause has yet been found. It is believed that the cyst begins to grow during the period of intrauterine development of a person. Over the course of life, it slowly reaches a dangerous size and only after years manifests itself. In this regard, after the discovery of a cyst, measures are taken to treat it, without waiting until it grows to such a size that it begins to affect the functioning of the organ.
Course of illness
The cyst itself does not cause any pain to a person. But increasing in size, it is able to block the nearby blood vessels and pinch the nerve fibers. This leads to the fact that the patient's blood pressure rises and the blood supply to some organs of the small pelvis is disturbed.
Permanentpressure on the nerves causes spasmodic pain in the person's back and reduces their mobility. And when blood circulation in the adrenal gland itself is disturbed, areas of tissue death appear, which reduces the efficiency of the organ.
In itself, an adrenal cyst cannot cause serious pathological changes in the body. However, with concomitant diseases such as hypertension, heart failure, or disruption of the endocrine system, the patient's condition worsens dramatically.
Cyst in children
Adrenal cyst in children is diagnosed during the prenatal development of the baby. During this period, it cannot influence the formation of the body, therefore, a pregnant woman does not undergo any special treatment. After the birth, the baby is again examined to assess the size and growth rate of the cyst. If the results of the measurement show that the neoplasm does not increase and does not pose a danger to the organ, then it is left without treatment until the situation changes for the worse or until the child grows up.
Sometimes it happens that the cyst of the left adrenal gland resolves, but remains on the right one or vice versa. This is a normal situation, since this type of neoplasm most often affects only one organ - the left or right adrenal gland.
Symptomatic manifestations
Symptoms of an adrenal cyst appear when the neoplasm reaches a significant size - about 3-5 cm in diameter. There are cases when the tumor reached10 cm.
In this case, the first sign of a cyst is pain. It is localized on the right or left side opposite the kidney or reflected in the lower back.
Blood pressure also rises. This phenomenon is also accompanied by pain, but in the head.
The gastrointestinal tract is often disturbed, accompanied by abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Hormonal imbalance caused by malfunction of the adrenal gland, leads to a variety of symptoms, such as tachycardia, arrhythmias, chest pain. For the same reason, the mental state of the patient is changing
Diagnosis of pathology
Treatment of an adrenal cyst begins with a diagnosis. This process includes a whole range of laboratory and instrumental studies.
First of all, the patient donates blood for analysis. It determines the level of hormones in the body.
The presence of a cyst can be determined by ultrasound examination of the adrenal gland. However, the exact location of the neoplasm, its size and density is determined only with the help of magnetic resonance imaging.
A cyst can be found in unborn babies. For this, ultrasound or computed tomography is used.
After the birth of the baby, they are regularly examined for several months for growth and increased education. Removal of an adrenal cyst is indicated only if it is rapidly increasing in size.
Conservative treatment
Drug treatment of adrenal cysts is not aimed at eliminating the neoplasm, but at suppressing its manifestations or consequences. If the tumor caused back pain, then the patient is prescribed an anesthetic drug suitable for his body.
If the tumor is accompanied by inflammation, then the patient takes a course of antibiotics.
With increased blood pressure caused by a tumor, it is normalized by antihypertensive drugs.
All drugs are prescribed by a doctor on an individual basis. Self-medication is contraindicated to avoid complications or side effects.
Surgical treatment
Surgery for an adrenal cyst is indicated only if it has degenerated into a malignant tumor. Surgery is also needed if the size of the growth has begun to interfere with blood flow to organs adjacent to the kidneys.
How to treat an adrenal cyst with a surgical method, the specialist decides, based on the severity and form of the disease, as well as on the general condition of the patient. In some cases, not the entire cyst is removed, but only dead tissue. But most often, of course, it is removed completely.
The operation can be performed by laparoscopic or open method. Laparoscopy is performed using special instruments in the form of tubes with microcameras and instruments installed in them. The tubes are inserted through the skin right up to the adrenal gland. This type of operation is not accompanied by heavy bleeding, after which the patient recovers faster, since the operatingthere are no stitches on his skin. However, only a highly qualified doctor with extensive experience can carry out this kind of procedure. This type of operation lasts no more than 1 hour and the next day the patient can go home, where he continues outpatient treatment.
Be sure a sample of the removed cyst is sent for histological examination to rule out kidney cancer.
The open method of surgery involves the removal of a cyst through an incision made in the skin and soft tissues around the kidney. This method eliminates accidental damage to blood vessels or nerve fibers, but has a longer rehabilitation period. After the operation, the patient remains in the hospital for several days or even weeks under the constant supervision of doctors.
Treatment with folk remedies
As in the case of drug treatment, herbal medicine cannot rid a person of a cyst, but it can relieve pain and reduce inflammation. This kind of therapy should be carried out only with the permission of the attending physician. This will reduce the risk of the cyst growing and changing from benign to malignant.
Symptoms and treatment of cysts in the adrenal glands have been known for a long time, respectively, medicinal herbs were selected that can alleviate human suffering.
Decoctions are usually made from currants, lungwort, knotweed, geraniums, nettles or horsetails. As a rule, these herbs are brewed with boiling water and infused either individually or as a collection, that is, 1 tablespoon of each herb. Water should be poured at the rate of 200 g per 1 tbsp. collection spoon.
Another very effectiveherbal collection includes lungwort, succession, viburnum flowers and currant leaves. The proportions for its preparation are the same - 1 tbsp. spoon for 200 g of boiling water. You need to insist the remedy for no more than 30 minutes.
It is also recommended to drink more water, fruit drinks or eat watermelons and seaweed. This will make the kidneys work better and therefore the adrenal glands will be supplied with fresh blood and micronutrients.
Inflammation from the adrenal gland is removed with a decoction of licorice root, parsley and juniper.
Prognosis and complications
In general, an adrenal cyst may not create problems for a person throughout life. This is the case if it does not increase in size and does not transform into a malignant tumor.
If the situation worsens, complications are possible. First of all, constant pain affects the psyche of the patient. The hormonal imbalance caused by the tumor negatively affects the functioning of the human cardiovascular system.
It is also possible to develop meningitis and other inflammations in the brain.
In this regard, the prognosis may be unfavorable, especially if the cyst was discovered too late, at the stage of its transformation into a malignant tumor.
Prevention measures
Only one thing can be attributed to preventive measures - to regularly undergo medical examinations, especially with the use of ultrasound of the kidneys and adrenal glands. This will allow you to detect pathology at an early stage and prevent its growth. Conduct thisprocedure is necessary at least 2 times a year. Other preventive measures have not yet been developed, since the causes of a cyst are still unknown to science.
Adrenal cyst is often not a he alth hazard, but it is necessary to monitor it in any case. If the growth of a neoplasm is on the face, then treatment should be carried out without fail. Therapy in most cases has a positive prognosis and the sick person returns to a normal lifestyle as soon as possible.
